Drinking glass with integrated stirring assembly

ABSTRACT

A drinking glass with an integral stirring assembly. The drinking glass includes a base to which a cylindrical top is attached. A stirrer is rotatably attached to the surface of the base so as to extend into the area subtended by the top. The stirrer is actuated by a motor inside the base. A seal seated in a recess located in the top of the base provides a seal around the top of the motor.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention refers to a drinking glass having a stirrer, a base with astirrer motor and a switch, and a detachable top mating to said base.

Such a drinking vessel is known from EP 0 562 310 A1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention is simplifying the known drinking glass whileimproving its stirring action. The invention achieves this aim through adrinking glass provided with a base to which a top is coupled to formthe drinking glass. The base is provided with a stirrer that projectsinto the space subtended by the top. The stirrer is actuated by a motorthat is disposed within the base. A seal extends around the top of themotor to prevent liquid from leaking onto the motor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following provides a detailed description of a version of thedrinking glass invented with reference to the accompanying drawings. Theitems/views depicted in said drawings are as follows:

FIG. 1, an exploded view of said drinking glass;

FIG. 2, a sectional view of the lower portion of the top;

FIG. 3, a bottom view of the base;

FIG. 4, a sectional view, sectioned along axis IV--IV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5, a sectional view, sectioned along axis V--V of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6, a side view of the stirring tool; and

FIG. 7, a sectional view of the actuating push button of said switch,shown here greatly magnified.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As depicted in said drawings, said drinking glass consists of amonolithic base (1) and a cup-shaped, or cylindrical, top (6). Said base(1) is an injection-molded plastic item. Said top (6) is fabricated fromglass or acrylic glass and has opposed open top and bottom ends. Saidbase (1) has a cylindrical lateral wall (2) and is closed off at its topby a top wall. Said top wall has an annular groove (3) running betweensaid lateral wall (2) and its central planar section (12). The undersideof said top wall has a central boss (4) for mounting the stirrer motor(5) (cf. FIG. 5). The bottom edge of said top (6) engages said annulargroove (3).

In order to provide a means for attaching/detaching said top (6) to/fromsaid base (1), the top edge of said annular groove (3) has two lugs (7)and the bottom edge of said top (6) has two identical lugs (8). Saidlugs (8) may be inserted between said lugs (7) on said annular groove(3), and will pass beneath, and be clamped down by, said lugs (7) onsaid annular groove (3) when said top (6) is rotated with respect tosaid base (1).

The undersides of said lugs (7) on said annular groove (3) slopedownward in the direction of rotation, and the upper surfaces of saidlugs (8) on said top (6) slope upward at this same angle in thedirection of rotation. The bottom edge of said top (6) will thus beforced into said annular groove (3) when said top (6) is rotated,thereby clamping it to said base.

The inner face of said annular groove (3) is provided with a taperedrubber seal (9) that progressively increases in width toward its baseand abuts against a beveled mating surface (10) on said bottom edge ofsaid top (6). When said top (6) is rotated with respect to said base,said mating surface (10) will be firmly pressed against said seal (9)and said seal (9) will be firmly pressed against said base (1). Insteadof using said tapered seal (9), said planar section (12) of said base(1) may be provided with a sealing surface coated with an elastic rubbermaterial, in which case an annular ridge on said planar section (12)mating to said sealing surface is provided on said top (6).

Said top (6) is concavely curved from the top edge of said matingsurface (10) to its cylindrical lateral wall (11). The top face of saidplanar section (12) of said base (1) is flush with the top edge of saidmating surface (10).

Rotation of the stirring tool (14) slid onto the stirrer shaft (13)generates a rapid flow along said lateral wall (11) that enhances mixingaction.

Said stirrer shaft (13), which also serves as the motor shaft, may belaterally offset from the center of said annular groove (3), which willradially displace the concave surface of rotating liquid contained insaid top (6) when said stirrer is rotated. This will cause any materialthat has been swept downward by turbulence generated by the stirringtool (14) that may be adhering to the inner surface of said lateral wallin the vicinity of the surface of the liquid to be swept away.

The stirring tool (14) depicted in FIG. 6, which consists of aheart-shaped bail whose pointed lower end is joined to a mating section(15) to form a single unit and whose cleft has a spherical protrusion(16), has proven to be particularly effective. Said protrusion (16)centers said bail (14) during rotation. Said mating section (15) has alongitudinal bore (41) that mates said stirring tool (14) to saidstirrer shaft (13).

A rubber seal (17), which consists of a collar (18) plus a section (19)having a tapered wall, is provided for sealing said stirrer shaft (13).Said collar (18) is seated in an annular groove (20) on the underside ofsaid mating section (15). Said flexible section (19) sweeps over saidplanar section (12) when said stirring tool (14) is rotated.Alternatively, said stirrer shaft (13) may be pitted over a seal (22)encircling said stirrer shaft (13) seated in a recess (23) in saidplanar section (12) (cf. FIG. 5). Seal (22) is disposed on top of motor(5).

Said central boss (4) for mounting said motor (5) consists of a ridgeencircling said motor (5) (of. FIG. 3). Two opposing walls of said ridgeform resilient legs (21) that retain said motor (5) and force it againstthe top wall of said base (1) and the seal (22) seated in recess (23).Legs (21) engage recesses (44) in said motor's housing (cf. FIG. 4).

As depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, the seal (22) encircling said stirrershaft (13) is seated in the annular recess (23) in the underside of thetop wall of said base (1) is provided.

The actuating pushbutton (25) of said switch for activating said motor(5) is situated in a circular aperture (24) in said lateral wall (2).

As is particularly evident from FIG. 7, said pushbutton (25) isfabricated as a single unit. It is fabricated from an elastic rubbermaterial, such as silicone rubber. Said pushbutton (25) has anactuation-indicator section (26) and an annular detenting section (27)surrounding said actuation-indicator section (26) and separated fromsaid actuation-indicator section (26) by a groove (42) in its outersurface.

Said detenting ring (27) has a peripheral groove (28) engaged by theedge of said lateral wall (2). The inner surface (43) of said detentingring (27) tapers inward in order to allow pressing said pushbutton (25)from outside said aperture (24).

A metal contact plate (29) is attached to the inner surface of saidactuation-indicator section (26).

A protruding lug (30) is molded into the underside of the top wall ofsaid base (1) opposite said contact plate (29). The underside of saidlug (30) has two longitudinal grooves (31) extending along the directionof the arrow (P), each of which has an associated lateral groove (32)extending outward. A jumper consisting of a suitably bent length of wire(33) is inserted into each such longitudinal groove (31) and itsassociated lateral groove (32). That end of each such length of wire(33) protruding from its respective longitudinal groove (31) will bebrought into contact with said contact plate (29) when saidactuation-indicator section (26) is pressed in the direction of saidarrow (P).

A rechargeable battery (39) is clamped between two notched lugs (40)molded into said lateral wall (2) and said mounting (4) for said motor(5).

The bottom of said base (1) may be closed off by a baseplate (46). Asshown in FIG. 1, said baseplate (46) has beveled sealing surfaces (47)extending around its circumference mating to matching sealing surfaces(48) on the inner circumference of said base (1) (cf. FIG. 3). Thedrinking glass of this invention may also be configured for use as ababy bottle.

Said base (1), inclusive of said mounting (4) for said motor (5), saidlug (30) for holding said jumpers (33), and said lugs (40) for mountingsaid rechargeable battery (39), consists of a single injection-moldedplastic component.

The outer diameters of said cylindrical base (1) and said top (6) areidentically dimensioned.

A nonrechargeable battery may be employed instead of said rechargeablebattery (39). For example, two 1.5-V batteries, one extending along eachside of said motor (5), both of them oriented parallel to the directionof actuation (P) of the switch (25), may be employed. Each such batteryis equipped with contact lugs that overlap one another and are broughtinto contact with one another when said switch is actuated. Said switchis designed such that it both eliminates need for said contact plates(29) and forces said annular detenting section (27) against said contactlugs.

I claim:
 1. A drinking vessel having a stirrer comprising: a base formedas a monolithic plastic component that has a circumferential wall and acentral boss disposed within the circumferential wall, a stirrer motordisposed in said central boss, said motor having a shaft, and a switchmounted to said circumferential wall for controlling actuation of saidmotor; and a detachable top connectable with said base, the improvementwherein: said base has a top wall that is connected to saidcircumferential wall so as to cover an interior region of said basedefined by said circumferential wall, said top wall having an undersideagainst which said motor is seated wherein said shaft of said motorextends through said top wall so that said stirrer can be secured tosaid shaft, and said top wall is formed to have an annular groove sothat a bottom circumferential edge of said detachable top can be seatedin said groove for detachable connection to said base; a seal isprovided in a recess formed in said underside of said top wall; and legsintegral with said underside of said top wall that extend downwardlyfrom said top wall are provided for holding said motor and drawing saidmotor toward said underside of said top wall and against said seal. 2.The drinking vessel of claim 1, wherein lugs integral with said baseextend into said annular groove formed in said top wall of said base andcomplementary lugs are formed integrally with said bottomcircumferential edge of said detachable top, said lugs integral withsaid detachable top being insertable between said lugs integral withsaid base that extend into said annular groove and being clamped by saidlugs extending into said annular groove when rotated so as to securesaid detachable top to said base.
 3. The drinking vessel of claim 2,wherein said lugs extending into said annular groove or said lugsintegral with said detachable top have sloping surfaces that slope inthe circumferential direction such that said detachable top will beforced into said annular groove formed in said top wall of said basewhen rotated.
 4. The drinking vessel of claim 3, wherein said annulargroove formed in said top wall of said base is defined by an innercircumferential wall integral with said top wall of said base and asealing ring is positioned in said groove to abut an adjacent sealingsurface of said bottom circumferential edge of said detachable top,wherein at least one of said sealing ring or said sealing surface ofsaid bottom circumferential edge of said detachable top is formed with atapered surface.
 5. The drinking vessel of claim 4, wherein saiddetachable top has an inner circumferential wall located above saidsealing surface of said bottom circumferential edge that is shaped tohave a constant diameter and said detachable top is shaped to beconcavely curved from a top edge of said sealing surface to said innercircumferential wall of said detachable top.
 6. The drinking vessel ofclaim 4, wherein said top wall of said base is approximately flush witha top edge of said sealing surface on said detachable top.
 7. Thedrinking vessel of claim 4, wherein said sealing surface of said bottomcircumferential edge of said detachable top is formed with said taperedsurface.
 8. The drinking vessel of claim 4, wherein said legs extendingfrom said top wall of said base are positioned so that said motorcompresses said seal in said recess.
 9. The drinking vessel of claim 1,wherein said detachable top has a center axis that extendslongitudinally therethrough and said shaft of said motor is disposedeccentrically relative to said center axis of said detachable top. 10.The drinking vessel of claim 1, wherein said stirrer is formed as aheart-shaped bail having a lower heart portion that is joined to aconnecting section that slips onto said shaft of said motor to form asingle unit.
 11. The drinking vessel of claim 1, wherein said centralboss of said base for receiving said motor consists of a wall partiallyenclosing said motor.
 12. The drinking vessel of claim 1, wherein saidswitch has a key head formed as a single unit from rubber-elasticplastic disposed in an aperture in said circumferential wall of saidbase and said switch has an action point section, a detenting sectionsurrounding said action point section having a circumferential groovethat is seated in an annular edge section of said circumferential wallthat defines said aperture, and an annular groove formed around an outersurface of said key head between said action point section and saiddetenting section.
 13. The drinking vessel of claim 1, wherein a powersource for said motor is a battery, said battery being insertablebetween two lugs integral with said circumferential wall.
 14. Thedrinking vessel of claim 1, wherein an underside of said base is closedby a baseplate.
 15. The drinking vessel of claim 1, wherein said legsextending from said top wall of said base are positioned so that saidmotor compresses said seal in said recess.
 16. A drinking glassincluding:a base unit, said base unit including: a housing that forms atop wall that has an undersurface in which a recess is formed; a motordisposed in said housing, said motor having a shaft that extends throughsaid top wall of said housing, wherein said shaft is positioned toextend through said recess formed in said undersurface of said top wall;a seal disposed in said recess formed in said undersurface of said topwall so that said shaft of said motor extends through said seal; afastening element attached to said housing for securing said motor tosaid top wall of said housing so as to urge said motor toward saidundersurface of said top wall and against said seal; and a stirringblade attached to a portion of said shaft of said motor that extendsabove said top wall of said housing; and a top section having opposedopen top and bottom ends wherein said top section is releasably securedat said bottom end to said base unit so as to be positioned around saidstirring blade and so that liquids can be held in said top section. 17.The drinking glass of claim 16, wherein said base unit further includesat least one leg that extends downwardly from said undersurface of saidtop wall, wherein said at least one leg functions as said fasteningelement for urging said motor toward said undersurface of said top walland against said seal.
 18. The drinking glass of claim 17, wherein saidbase unit further includes a boss that extends downwardly from saidundersurface of said top wall of said housing, said boss is formed witha center space for receiving said motor and said at least one legextends downwardly from said boss.
 19. The drinking glass of claim 17,further including a plurality of said legs extending downwardly fromsaid undersurface of said top wall of said housing for urging said motortoward said undersurface of said top wall and said seal.
 20. Thedrinking glass of claim 17, wherein said housing of said base unit isformed with a groove that extends at least partially circumferentiallyaround said top wall for receiving said bottom end of said top section.21. The drinking glass of claim 16, wherein said housing of said baseunit is formed with a groove that extends at least partiallycircumferentially around said top wall for receiving said bottom end ofsaid top section.
 22. The drinking glass of claim 21, wherein saidgroove formed in said housing of said base unit extends completelycircumferentially around said top wall of said housing.
 23. The drinkingglass of claim 21, further including a sealing ring disposed around asurface of said housing of said base unit that defines an innerperimeter of said groove so that an inner surface of said bottom end ofsaid top section abuts against said sealing ring and at least one ofsaid sealing ring or an inner surface of said bottom end of said topsection is formed with a tapered surface.
 24. The drinking glass ofclaim 21, wherein:said housing of said base unit and said bottom end ofsaid top section are provided with complementary lugs that are designedto engage each other in said groove formed in said housing of said baseunit so as to secure said top section to said base unit; a sealing ringis disposed around a surface of said housing of said base unit thatdefines an inner perimeter of said groove formed in said housing so thatsaid sealing ring abuts an inner surface of said bottom end of said topsection; and at least one of said sealing ring and said abutting innersurface of said bottom end of said top section is formed with a taperedsurface.
 25. The drinking glass of claim 16, further including a batterydisposed in said base unit for supplying an energization signal to saidmotor.
 26. The drinking glass of claim 16, wherein said stirring bladehas a center mating section that is coupled to said shaft of said motorand at least two spaced apart outwardly curved members that extend awayfrom said center mating section.
 27. The drinking glass of claim 26,wherein said stirring blade further includes inwardly directed membersthat extend from end sections of said outwardly curved members andwherein said inwardly curved members are connected together above saidcenter mating section.
 28. The drinking glass of claim 16, wherein saidmotor directly contacts said seal.
 29. A drinking glass including:a baseunit, said base unit including: a housing that forms a top wall that hasa top surface that at least partially defines an annular groove thatextends at least partially around said top wall and an undersurface inwhich a recess is formed; a sealing element seated in an inner perimeterof said groove; at least one base lug extending from said housing intosaid groove; a motor disposed in said housing, said motor having a shaftthat extends through said top wall of said housing, wherein said shaftis positioned to extend through said recess formed in said undersurfaceof said top wall; a seal disposed in said recess formed in saidundersurface of said top wall so that said shaft of said motor extendsthrough said seal; a restraining member extending downwardly from saidundersurface of said top wall for restricting lateral movement of saidmotor; and a fastening assembly attached to said housing for securingsaid motor to said top wall of said housing so as to urge said motortowards said undersurface of said top wall and against said seal; and astirring blade attached to a portion of said shaft of said motor thatextends above said top wall of said housing; and a top section havingopposed open top and bottom ends wherein said bottom end is positionedto be seated in said groove formed in said base so that said top sectionis located around said stirring blade; and a top section lug integrallyformed with said bottom end for engaging said at least one base lug soas to releasably secure said top section to said base, wherein saidbottom end is positioned to abut said sealing element so that liquidscan be held in said top section.
 30. The drinking glass of claim 29,wherein said base unit further includes at least one leg that extendsdownwardly from said undersurface of said top wall, wherein said atleast one leg functions as said fastening assembly for urging said motortowards said undersurface of said top wall and against said seal. 31.The drinking glass of claim 30, wherein said base unit includes two saidlegs and said legs further serve as said restraining members forrestricting lateral movement of said motor.
 32. The drinking glass ofclaim 31, wherein one of said bottom end of said top section or saidsealing ring is formed with a tapered surface.
 33. The drinking glass ofclaim 29, wherein: said base unit is formed so that said groove extendscompletely around said top wall; and said sealing element is a sealingring that is disposed around a portion of said top wall that defines theinner perimeter of said groove.
 34. The drinking glass of claim 29,wherein said motor directly contacts said seal.